Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-19
A MASTERLY EFFORT.
Speech of Congressman S8yers on the
Reorganization Of the Bureaus of
the Navy Department.
A Careful Review of the Condition OF Our
Maya Strong Plea for its
Betterment.

On January Congressman Sayers de-
livered speech in the house OF represen-
tatives on the reorganization of the
bureaus of the navy department and the
plan to consolidate them. This speech
was one OF the best arguments made this
session to show the condition of
our depleted navy. Mr.. Sayers
has been greatly interested in the
sIbtect of the navy since he entered con-
gress and is q most useful member
of the naval affairs committee.
Few men have made a more exhaustive
andtcomplete study of this question than
he has. The subject is one of great ma
tional Importance, and should meet with
the support its gravity deserves. We echo
the sentiments OF Mr. Savers on this i'm
portant question, and believe that imme-
date steps should re taken to build up
our navy, aud that the consolidation of
its different bureaus is step in the right
direction and should be made. AS the
speech is one which will interest our
readers, we make the following copious
extracts from it:
Mr.. Sayers-Mr. Chairman, the bill
under consideration has fer its object the
promotion of an economical, HARMONIOUS,
and successful administration Of the naval
department. 1t is not political meas
ure. As now constituted it cannot be
doubted there exists, and has existed for
years, in this particular branch OF the
military service want of responsibility
and unity of action among those charge d
with the most important functions, pro-
ducing great and unnecessary eXtravG-
gance and resulting ia sn almost total in
capacity to accomplish any valuable and
extensive WORK.
The proceedings of congress and the
records of the department disclose the
appropriation and expenditure of enor-
nous sums OF money for the repair of
vessels and for the maintenance of the
navy yards. Yet we fad ourselves to-
day without navy worthy of the name
and without single yard in commend
able condition.
1t will be unnecessary for me, Mr..
Chairman, to consume the time OF the
committee in adducing evidence as to the
the present disgraceful and unparalleled
worLhlessness of our fleet, either for de-
fensiye or offensive purposes. The re-
ports OF the admiral, made and pub
lished time and again, inform Us that our
vessels of war can scarcely perform the
duties of peace establishment and in
case of hostilities would have to abandon
the high seas altogether until peace
should be restored.
When, Mr.. Chairman, we consider the
vast expenditures which have been made
in the construction and repair of our ships
and of the buildings, docks, wharves, and
machinery in our yards, we can MT, how
ever much we might desire, escape the
conclusion that very serious, IL not crimi-
nal biunders have been committed in the
management of our naval affairs.
From the most reliable and authentic
sources we are advised that the vessels
which constituted our navy at the couclu-
sion of the last fiscal year, and were then
completed. had been built and repaired at
q cost to the government of SIC. $685.
36047, of which sum S40,S0O,176 80 was
expended for repairs.
Now, to this expenditure upon vessels
add the total cost of permanent improve
ments and repairs, Including the sites at
the yards, from their establis hment to
j une 80, 1886, which was